Overhead fan



Nov. 25, 1952 H. J. BoRDE ET AL 2,619,020

' OVERHEAD FAN Filed June 6, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS H4A2QY r7.BOQDE, Alan er 0. f/CH5,

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Nov. 25, 1952 H. J. BoRDE' ET AL 2,619,020

OVERHEAD FAN Filed June 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. H4??? r'ZB0205, HE/VQY 0. E/cws,

Patented Nov. 25, 1952 OVERHEAD FAN Harry J. Bord, Santa Monica, andHenry 0. Fuchs, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Preco Incorporated,Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 6,1950, Serial No. 166,491

6 Claims.

This invention has reference to the design and structure of refrigeratorcars equipped with forced air circulation; and the general purpose ofthe invention is to provide a structure and design for mounting andincorporating an air circulating fan of the type shown in the Van DornPatent No. 2,349,315 in refrigerator car bulkheads of, or similar to,standard design. Although certain features of the present invention havebeen designed particularly with a view to incorporation with a fixedbulkhead, it will be understood from what follows that the presentshowing of the invention in that environment is not to be considered aslimitative.

For certain purposes it is desirable to locate the air circulating fanat a high level, preferably at the top of the bulkhead, rather than atthe floor level or under the lading floor. Such a location removes thefan from the locality of falling debris in the ice bunker or in thelading compartment and thus serves to protect the fan from injury. Thepresent invention provides a design for incorporating the fan structurein a standard type bulkhead structure, and thus, among other things,provides a fan design and structure which may be easily applied toexisting car structures. Although the general features of the invention,as will be pointed out, may be used for incorporating the fan at anylevel in the bulkhead structure, it is particularly adapted for suchincorporation at or near the top and will be so described inillustrative form. v

For the purpose of describing a present-preferred and illustrativeembodiment of the invention, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation .of a car structure equipped withthe illustrative embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section taken substantially as indicatedby line 22 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on lines 33 ofFigs. 1 and 2; and.

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail sections on lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig.3.

The drawings show certain parts of a standard type of car structure,including the end and side wall formations l0 and II, floor structure l2and ceiling 22. A standard type of fixed bulk.- head is shownfragmentarily at I 3 in Figs. 1 .and 2 and in horizontal and verticalsection in Figs. 3-5. The plane on which the section of Fig. 2 is taken,and the fragmentarily compressed nature of Fig. 1, do not show the lowerpart of the bulkhead, but it will be understood that the bulkheadstructure extends down to the level of the lading floor or ice gratealevel above that of floor [2 so as to allow an air circulation openingunder the bulkhead between the lading compartment and the ice bunkerwhich the bulkhead defines.

The typical standard bulkhead structure shown inthe drawings comprises aframing composed of spaced vertical studs 20 made of steel shapes, theoutermost of which (20a) are bolted or otherwise secured directly to theside wall structures II. At their upper ends these spaced studs arejoined to a horizontal beam member, typically by bolting to such a beammember as shown at 2| in Figs. 4 and 5. Such beam member extends acrossthe top of the bulkhead structure from side Wall to side wall directlyagainst the ceiling structure 22 and is tied into the ceiling structureas by having flanges 23 projecting into it.

On its outer side, facing the lading compartment, the bulkhead frame isusually faced with a wooden facing or apron 25 extending over the wholeface of the frame structure except for an opening or openings at thetop, directly under beam 2|, and opening or openings at the bottom belowthe level of the ice grate or lading floor. On the inner side, facingthe ice bunker space, the bulkhead frame is usually faced with aperforated sheet metal facing, such as shown at 26, normally extendingto the top of the bulkhead. This facing is commonly installed in severalseparate sheets, of horizontal widths somewhat greater than thehorizontal spacings between studs 20. The intermediate studs 20 arecommonly made up of two channels secured together back-to-back; and thevertical edges of facing sheets 25 may be turned and clamped betweenthem as shown in Fig. 3. At the outer vertical edges, where theoutermost studs 20a are composed of single channels secured to the sidewall structure, the outermost facing sheet edges may be clamped betweenthe studs and the side walls,

as shown in Fig. 3. f Such, in general, is the typical structure of abunker-enclosing bulkhead to which the present invention applies van airimpelling fan of the mentioned Van Dorn type. Insofar as theincorporation of the fan with the bulkhead structure is concerned it isimmaterial whether the bulkhead is stationarily secured to the carfioor, wall and roof structure or is mounted so as to be movable.Specifically, the bulkhead is here shown as fixed and the fan drivingconnections, later to be declared, are designed for that fixed position.If the bulkhead'is of the convertible bulkhead studs.

bunker-space.

or movable type, driving connections such as those shown in theapplication of Van Born and Beemer, Ser. No. 767,820, filed August 9,1947, now Patent 2,544,242, dated March 6, 1951, may be used.

The air fan is preferably made up essentially of a series of radialbladed impellers 31] mounted in spaced relation on a common shaft 3| andsurrounded by a casing which provides for air entry in a generallyradial direction between the impellers, axial flow into the impellers,and horizontal radial out-flow from the impellers. In adapting the saidtype of fan for incorporation with such a standard bulkhead .asdescribed, the inter-impeller spacings are made commensurate with andpreferably equal to the bulkhead stud spacings, the casing projectspreferably rearwardly from the back or inner face of the bulk,- head atthe top so that the lateral air inflow is upward from the ice bunkerinto the casing from beneath, and the impeller sections of the casingare extended forwardly through the forward bulkhead facing between thestuds for air discharge into the lading compartment. Preferred andillustrative details of structure and design will now appear.

The fan housing H comprises :a main housing wall 35 of sheet metal bentto a cylindric arcof 90 and extending in length across the full width'of the bulkhead. From substantially the upper edge of the arc formationan upwardly extending flange 35. along the whole length of the housingwall, is secured to the upper bulkhead beam 21 byloolts3'! which may be,or include, the bolts which secure the beam to the upper ends of the Therelation of flange 35 to the axis of cylindric formation 35 is such astoplace that axis (and the coincident axis of shaft 3|) behind the rear,face of the bulkhead. The main housing wall 55 also includes a skirtportion 38 which depends vertically from the lower. edge of thecylindric formation. As seen in Figs. 3, 4

and 5, all the housing formation thus far described proiects rearward'lyfrom the rear face of the bulkhead into the upper part of the ice 7 Toreinforce that formation (of comparatively light sheet metal) againstinjury from anything introduced into the bunker through the roof hatch(not shown) its upper and rear part is reinforced with an extrathickness 39 of sheet metal welded or otherwise secured to it.

Also forming parts of the housing there is .a series of pairs oftransverse vertical division walls 45, each pair enclosing endwise oneof the several spaced impeller chambers 56 in which the impellers 39 arelocated. These transverse walls are welded to thewall 35, 38 and thepairs project forwardly through the bulkhead structure between thespaced studs 20 and at least partially through the thickness oftheforward faci or apron 25. A bottom plate 41 extends between thebottom edges of the pairs of walls and also projects forwardly into thethickness of the apron 25. The side Walls 40 may, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, be integral with and bent upwardly from the oppositeends of bottom plates 4|.

Anda top plate 42 lies on top of the upper edges of each of the pairs ofwalls 40, forward of flange 36 and extends forwardly at least to therear face of apron 25. T0 facilitate the fitting of the fan'housing, toaccommodate small variations of dimensions, the forward extent of walls40 and plates Al is made such that their forward edges will liesomewhere within the thickness of apron 4 25. Then an angle flashing Mais applied as shown in Fig. 4, to function as a seal between thedischarge ends of the housing and the apron 25. From what has been said,and from Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the pairs oftransverse dividing walls 49, in association with the rear and uppermain wall :35, .38 and the top and bottom plates 42 and 4!, formcompartments which enclose the several impellers 30, and which haveforwardly extending open discharge ends extending in effect through theforward facing or apron 25 between studs 25. The open discharge ends arecovered by screens 44.

An angle 46, extending the length of the housing, is welded-to lowerplates 4| and bolted, at 48, to studs 20. The whole casing, and itscarried impellers and shaft, are thus secured in the described relationto the bulkhead by the two sets of bolts 31 and 48. The whole fanassembly is thus adapted to be quickly and easily mounted on thebulkhead after the front apron 25 has been formed with openings toaccommodate the forwardly extending discharge passages, and the rearfacing '26 has been cut out to a level below thelower housing plates 4!.Figs. 2 and 4 show how the rear perforated facing is cut away, betweenstuds 20, to an upper edge 26a, and how that upper edge is supported bybl'ocks 47 inserted between studs 20. Bolts 59 hold the blocks and thefacing 26 secure.

Impeller shaft 3| is carried in bearings 55 which are carried onbrackets 5| mounted on housing wall 35. The bearings locate the shaft onthe axis shown andalsolongitudinally.

In the specific design here shown, the impellers'3'0 and their chambers55 which lie be tween the pairs of transverse walls 40, are locatedsubstantially centrally of the spaces between the several bulkhead studs.20. The spaces 55 in the housing structure between the several impellerchambersare enclosed only by the main housing wall 35, 3-8, the apron25, and the two adjacent lateral division walls 45. See Fig. 5. In thosespaces 55 there is no lower plate 4!, so that those spaces form airentry chambers which are completely open at their bottoms for, upwardair entry both behind the plane of the perforated facing and forward 'ofthat plane in the spaces between the studs behind front apron 25. Eachlateral wall 40 has a large opening 40a co-axial with the impellershaft. Air thus enters the fan casing exclusively in an upward flow intothe air entrance chambers 55 between the impeller chambers 56, flowsaxially through openings 4011 into the impellers and is thrown out bythe impellers through the open. forward ends of the impeller chambersinto the lading compartment. The fact that the housing H is open forair. entry only at its bottom and that air enters only in an upwardflow, protects the fan mechanism quite completely from i-ceor debriswhich might otherwise enter the housing and damage the impellers.

As seen inFig. 5, the air entry spaces 55 also do not have anyupperplate corresponding to upper plate 42 (Fig. .4) of the impellerchambers. While the chambers. 55 might also have such upper enclos ngplates, they are unnecessary. because the upper beam 2| effectivelycloses what would otherwise bean opening into the tops of those spacesand through which solid matter might enter.

It will be noted that the general arrangement is such that it sets up areverse air flow through the ice bunker, the air stream being drawn upthrough the ice charge and thrown out into the lading compartment underthe ceiling. That direction of air flow is desirable. On the other hand,if it should be desirable to circulate the air in the opposite ornatural direction (down through the ice charge) that can beaccomplished, using the same type of fan structure and incorporationwith the bulkhead, by simply turning the fan structure end-for-end andmounting it on the front face of the bulkhead with its impeller chambersprojecting through the apron between the studs. However, that wouldinvolve the projection of the fan housing into the lading compartment,which in many cases is undesirable.

Also it will be noted that the structure and design for incorporation ofthe fan with the bulkhead structure, have no features which wouldprevent the fan being mounted on the bulkhead at any level below itstop, or even at or near its bottom. While the top location, and airentry from underneath into a fan casing which overhangs in the icebunker is preferred, and while the structure and design of the inventionhave been made with that particularly in View, the general structure anddesign are equally applicable to mounting the fan at or near the bottomof the bulkhead without any essential change in the structure. If somounted at the bottom, with air intake on the ice bunker side, the aircurrent would then be drawn down through the bunker and dischargedhorizontally near or at the level of the car floor. If, in that lowerposition, the fan were turned end-for-end and. mounted to project on thelading compartment side of the bulkhead (as above explained for topmounting) the air would be drawn from the lading compartment anddischarged into the lower part of the bunker to flow up therethrough.

For driving the impeller fan mounted as described on the upper part of abulkhead which is stationary, the following described drivingarrangements are preferred.

Impeller shaft 3| is extended outwardly through one side wall II (Figs.2 and 3) through a sleeve 60 and a seal 6!. The outer end of the shaft,projecting into a chamber under a cover 62, carries a sheave 63 drivenby belt 64 from a sheave 65 on a jack-shaft 66 mounted in a journal 61carried on the end of a swinging arm 68 which is pivoted in a bracketstructure 69 mounted in a casing recessed in the car side wall behindthe side wall sheathing '18. Arm 68 is pressed down by spring II in adirection to keep belt 64 taut. The hub 65a of sheave 65 is accessiblefrom outside the casing, through an opening 62a in cover 62 so that anauxiliary drive may be applied for driving the air circulated fan whilethe car is standing. (See Van Dorn application, Ser. No. 643,924, filedJanuary 28, 1946, now abandoned.) Another sheave 15 is carried byjack-shaft 66 and is driven by belt 16 from a sheave 11 mounted on theouter end of a drive shaft 18 journalled in a tubular shaft carrier 19.(The drive mechanism here now being described is of the general typeshown and claimed in the Van Dorn Patent 2,413,158 and more particularlyof the type shown and claimed in the copending applications of Beemerand Fuchs, Ser. No. 667,803, filed May 7, 1946, now Patent 2,519,170,dated Aug. 15, 1950, and Ser. No. 162,198, filed May 16, 1950, nowPatent 2,567,504, dated September 11, 1951. See particularly the latterapplication for the particulars of the drive mechanism here shown.)

The inner end of drive shaft 18 carries a traction roller 80 adapted toengage car wheel 8| when shaft carrier 19 is pressed down; that samedownward pressure on the carrier and shaft serving to keep driving belt16 taut. The carrier is so mounted by an arm structure 82, on a mountingshaft 83 journaled under the car floor, that rotation of the mountingshaft swings the shaft carrier 19- as a whole up and down about the axisof the mounting shaft, and so that the carrier 19 and shaft 78 can alsoswing about the axis indicated by the line A in Figs. 1 and 2. A torsionspring 84, located in hollow mounting shaft 83 and connected at one endat 85 with a bracket 86 on a cover casing 14 and at its other end at 81with the mounting shaft, tends to rotate shaft 83 counter-clockwise inFig. 1 and to press carrier 19 down to keep roller 80 in tractionengagement and belt 16 taut. Rotation of shaft 83 clockwise, armstructure 82 swinging with it, lifts shaft carrier 19 to relieve belt 16and-the traction pressure of roller 80. A lifting arm 90 is connected tomounting shaft 83 through a lug 91 in such manner that, when arm 90 ismoved from the full line to the broken line position of Fig. 1,

"and is there described in detail. In the present drive arrangement,however, when belt 16. is relieved, belt 64 is still held taut by thespring 1! acting on jack-shaft 66 and sheave 65, so that an auxiliarydrive can then be, applied to the hub of either sheave 65 or sheave. 63.

We claim:

1. In combination with a wall structure including a series ofhorizontally spaced vertical studs with a substantially continuousfacing on one side of the studs, a fan structure incorporated with thewall structure and including a fan housing comprising an external topand side housing wall extending horizontally across the wall structureand projecting from one side thereof, horizontally spaced pairs ofhorizontally spaced vertical walls dividing the housing interior intoalternating impeller and intake compartments, walls forming tops andbottoms for the impeller compartments, said top and bottom walls and thevertical walls associated therewith extending through the facing of thewall structure between adjacent studs and defining horizontal outletpassages from the impeller compartments to the other side of the wallstructure, there being air-entry openings at the under sides of theseveral intake compartments, an impeller shaft extending horizontallythrough the interior of the housing externally of the wall structure andthrough the several vertical division walls, said division walls beingprovided with openings, and impellers on the shaft in each of theseveral impeller compartments, the openings in the vertical divisionwalls providing communication between the intake compartments and theimpeller compartments.

2. In a refrigerator car or the like having a bulkhead which separatestwo compartments, said bulkhead comprising a frame which includes aplurality of horizontally spaced vertical studs and a substantiallycontinuous facing on one side of the frame; the combination of an airfan unit extending in length horizontally across the bulkhead width onthe other side ofthe frame, said unit including a, top and side casingwall projecting from said other side of the frame, a series of verticaldivision walls spaced along the length abottom wall for each of theimpeller compartments and extending at least partially through saidfacing to form, with the associated vertical 1 and through the severalvertical division walls,

said division walls being provided with openings providing communicationbetween the intake compartments and the impeller compartments, andimpellers on the shaft in the several impeller compartments.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 .and in which the bulkhead frameincludes a horizontal beam extending across the tops of the-spacedstuds, the top wall of the casingbeing secured at an upper edge to saidbeam, and an angle plate extending in length across the said other faceof the frame under the said bottom walls and secured thereto and to theseveral vertical studs. v4'. In a refrigerator car or the like having avertical transverse bulkhead which separates an ice bunker at its innerface from a lading com-- partment at its-outer face, the combination ofan air circulating fan unit comprising a, housing which extends inlength horizontally across the inner face of the bulkhead near its topand projects inwardly into the ice bunker from'that bulkhead face, saidhousing comprising'vertical .walls. and-top, horizontal walls whichdefine air entry passages, there being air-entry openings at lithe.undersides-of theseveral air-entry passages,

'.ver.tical walls andtop and bottom horizontal walls which define airexit passages extending to openings provided through the bulkhead todischarge air into the lading compartment, there being openings throughcertain of said vertical walls whereby communication is establishedbetween the air-entry passages and the air-exit passages, and airimpeller means in the housing acting to draw air in through the airentry passages and force it out through the'air exit passages.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 and in which the bulkhead includesa frame comprising horizontally spaced vertical studs and a facing onthe lading compartment side of the studs, and in which the wall-definedair exit passages extend through the bulkhead between adjacent studs andextend at least partially through said facing.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 and in which the inner face of thebulkhead frame also has a facing, said last named facing being ter-'minated at an upper horizontal edge which is spaced below thewall-defined air entries.

HARRY J. BORDE. HENRY o. FUCHS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,184,488 Conwell Dec. 26, 19392,323,439 Adams July 6, 1943 2,324,749 Weiden July 20, 1943 2,349,315Van Dorn May 23, 1944 2,475,751 Moorman July 12, 1949

